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Posts Made By: Mark McCauley

June 28, 2004 05:35 PM Forum: Telescope Making

Experience with these kits?

Posted By Mark McCauley
I am considering the construction of my own 10" Newtonian/Dobsonian telescope. Do any of you have any experience with or knowledge of the following kits? If yes, would you send your opinions? Recommendations on other kits would also be appreciated.

e-Scopes

http://www.e-scopes.cc/intro.html?source=overture

pete3000

http://members.cox.net/pete3000/telescope_10f5_paypal.html

July 5, 2004 10:39 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

How to use a straight finder scope

Posted By Mark McCauley
I am thinking abut purchasing a 10" Newt/Dobs. I have never used one before. How does one actually look through a straight finder scope that is mounted on top of the OTA (behind the focuser)? It looks difficult. For example, as seen here:

http://store5.yimg.com/I/hardin-optical_1796_340800

July 8, 2004 09:43 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Bright meteor seen from Dallas 07/07/2004

Posted By Mark McCauley
Last night around 9:30 my girlfriend and I were having dinner on the patio of a restaurant one mile north of downtown Dallas. I was sitting facing south. I happened to be looking up and to the SE and saw what I thought was
a large fireworks type display that was greenish in color. It only lasted for a second or so and disappeared from my view behind a high-rise building. I didn't give it another thought until tonight when I saw a report on the
local NBC affiliate news program.

You can see slides of it here

http://www.nbc5i.com/weather/3506058/detail.html

or video here (requires simple registration)

http://tinyurl.com/yurra

July 21, 2004 05:54 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Anyone in NE Fort Worth or HEB/GC?

Posted By Mark McCauley
I am a rookie observer who has a new 10" Newt/Dobs. I am looking for someone in NE FWT, HEB, or Grapevine/Colleyville who has DSO experience with a similar scope and would who be willing to come by and check-put my scope. (Yes, I will go to my next local astro club meeting.) I will buy dinner. smile


July 24, 2004 08:43 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Calc FOV with 2X Barlow

Posted By Mark McCauley
How is the apparent FOV calculated for an eyepiece installed in a 2X Barlow?

October 29, 2006 02:12 AM Forum: After Dark

Swan - Sat - DFW

Posted By Mark McCauley
I live ~8 miles west of DFW airport. Under almost ideal viewing conditions comet Swan is nowhere close to being a naked eye or bino object. With my 10" Dobs and a 32mm EP it looks no different than M13. With a 9mm EP you can see a core and a slight smudge of a tail - or my 9mm EP is dirty.

June 3, 2009 05:10 PM Forum: Eyepieces

"Expensive" EPs worth it?

Posted By Mark McCauley
I have a Hardin 10" Deep Space Hunter (f/5) that came with an Astrola 9mm EP. I've read about the Televue Nagler T6 and their "Space walk" views. I have not had a chance to try one of these types of expensive EPs, but I am thinking about getting a 9m or 7mm. Are they REALLY worth the price? Are the views REALLY that impressive as compared to my cheaper EP? Have any of you ever bought one only to think it wasn't worth the expense? Is it really like comparing a Ford Pinto to a Rolls, or is it more like a Cadillac or something less?

Considering that the price of the Ethos is twice that of a Nagler T6, is it worth it to skip the Nagler T6 and get an Ethos?

Or is it even prudent to get such an expensive EP for a cheap telescope?

June 27, 2004 02:25 PM Forum: Telescope Making

Finished my new Dob base conversion

Posted By Mark McCauley
It looks like you are also an RCer.

July 9, 2004 03:41 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

EAST TEXAS EXPLOSION!

Posted By Mark McCauley
It was indeed a meteor. See my post in Solar System Observing. Where you are in east TX, maybe the observers there saw it "head-on" just before it burned up. If you read the message board on WFAA-TV Dallas (ABC affilate) you can read dozens of reports that included views of a tail. It really was spectacular. It's amazing that I've spent hours sitting in my back yard during so-called meteor showers, only to see a slight streak or two, then just by luck I saw a rare, extremely bright meteor. We hit the meteor lotto that night. If you haven't seen the video, I suggest that you do. Send a message to me - I can send a link that doesn't require you to register.

July 11, 2004 11:16 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

International Space Station

Posted By Mark McCauley
That is a nice photo. I went out to see the ISS the night you shot it. It was almost directly over at 84°. I almost always go out to see the ISS when it comes over in the evening. I happen to have a video of a night re-entry of Columbia when it came over in 1999.

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